News & Events

Full support from Mayor’s office in La Paz, Mexico for AHK and YO! Community Center and Sports Complex Project | January 2008

Representatives from the Anthony H. Kruse Foundation and Youth Opportunities Inc. had a dynamic meeting with the Mayor of the city of La Paz, Victor Castro, and have his full support for the Community Center and Sports Complex being built in La Paz. Anthony H. Kruse Foundation representatives, including Chief Operating Officer, Jeff Humphrey , Senior Grant Management Consultant, Kate Pace Lindsay, and Executive Director of Youth Opportunities, Matthew Lanctot, joined “YO!” representatives and Mayor’s Senior Staff to discuss all aspects of this exciting project.  Also attending the meeting was Carlos Estrada, CEO of DECOPE and a well-known local contractor; Francisco Gonzalez from Comunidad, Visión y Desarrollo(COVYDE) - a Mexican nonprofit and members from the Grupo de Apoyo Ray Thomas.
 
Mayor Victor Castro welcomed everyone to the city of La Paz and made reference to previous unsuccessful efforts by non-profit organizations to develop a Community Center in La Paz. The Mayor indicated that like-minded organizations made similar attempts in the past, but that the current project has made the most progress toward such an important development in the community. The Mayor welcomed this effort, and confirmed the municipal government’s whole-hearted support for this project.

On a personal note, the Mayor made mention of his excitement with the people involved in this community collaboration, namely Carlos Estrada of DECOPE, the Grupo de Apoyo Ray Thomas and in particularly the people from the Anthony H. Kruse Foundation.  Speaking of Matthew Lanctot, Mayor Castro playfully acknowledged the contributions “the boy who sells rubber slippers” (in reference to Matthew’s work in Mexico with Crocs Footwear).

The Mayor continued by extending a warm welcome to the city of La Paz and said “the city is my house and my house is your house”. The meeting came to a close with a round of group photos, and a presentation of gifts on the behalf of George Boedecker and by Matthew Lanctot, who presented the Mayor and his wife with a pair of “rubber slippers”.